Secure mechanism of portable accessory device for outdoor umbrella

• US 20090120477A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Inventors: Li, Wanda Ying
• Granted Patent: US 7,975,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 135/16
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/00 Sticks combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/91 Illuminated cane or umbrella

Abstract

A portable accessory device includes a housing having a mounting slot, an accessory unit supported in the housing, and two adjustable retainers for adjusting the size of the mounting slot for a shaft of the outdoor umbrella. Each of the adjustable retainer includes a retention arm, having a pusher surface facing towards the mounting slot, slidably mounted at the housing, wherein the pusher surfaces of the retention arms are facing with each other and are arranged for biasing against an outer surface of the shaft of the outdoor umbrella until the shaft thereof being fitted at the mounting slot so as to substantially mount the housing at the shaft of the outdoor umbrella. Therefore, the portable accessory device is adapted to detachably mount at the outdoor umbrella to provide an additional function via the accessory unit for users to have high quality outdoor activities.

Claims

1. A portable accessory device for an outdoor umbrella, comprising:

a housing which comprises a first housing body and a second housing body defining a mounting slot when said first and second housing bodies are coupled with each other, wherein said mounting slot has a size for a shaft of said outdoor umbrella fitting therewithin;

an accessory unit supported in said housing for providing an addition function for said outdoor umbrella; and

a shaft adjusting arrangement comprising two adjustable retainers for adjusting the size of said mounting slot for said shaft of said outdoor umbrella, wherein each of said adjustable retainers comprises a retention arm, having a pusher surface facing towards said mounting slot, slidably mounted at said first housing body, wherein said pusher surfaces of said retention arms are facing with each other and are arranged for biasing against an outer surface of said shaft of said outdoor umbrella until said shaft thereof being fitted at said mounting slot so as to substantially mount said housing of said portable accessory device at said shaft of said outdoor umbrella,

wherein said housing further comprises a battery module and a control unit mounted in said first housing body to electrically connect with said accessory unit so as to control said function thereof, wherein said battery module comprises a battery provided in said second housing body, and a terminal connector movably mounted in said second housing body to electrically connect said battery with said control unit in said first housing body when said second housing body is mounted on said first housing body.

2. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said adjustable retainers are slidably coupled at said first housing body in a radially movable manner at a position that said pusher surfaces of said adjustable retainers are protruded from a circumferential wall of said mounting slot for biasing against said outer surface of said shaft.

3. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 2, wherein said shaft adjusting arrangement further comprises two actuating members pivotally supported at said first housing body to couple with said adjustable retainers respectively, wherein each of said actuating members has a pivot end pivotally coupling with said corresponding adjustable retainer and an opposed pushing end arranged in such a manner that when said pushing ends of said actuating members are pressed towards each other to pivotally move said pivot ends thereof away from each other, said adjustable retainers are driven to radially slide away from each other so as to adjust a distance between said pusher surfaces of said adjustable retainers.

4. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 3, wherein said shaft adjusting arrangement further comprises two resilient elements supported in said first housing body for applying pushing forces against said actuating members respectively, wherein each of said resilient elements has two ends biasing against an inner wall of said first housing body and said pushing end of said respective actuating member.

5. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 4, wherein said first housing body contains two guiding slots for guiding said adjustable retainers respectively in a radially movable manner, wherein an inner end portion of each of said adjustable retainers is slidably engaged with said respective guiding slot to ensure said adjustable retainer being slid in a radially movable manner.

6. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 5, wherein said first housing body, having a U-shaped structure, has two inner guiding walls defining a guiding channel therebetween, wherein said second housing body, having a corresponding shape, has two outer guiding walls slidably engaging with said inner guiding walls of said first housing body, wherein said guiding channel has a closed end defining said mounting slot thereat, and an opened end is arranged when said second housing body is slidably mounted to said first housing body along said guiding channel through said opened end thereof, said mounting slot is formed at said closed end of said guiding channel.

7. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 6, wherein said pusher surface of each of said adjustable retainers is a curved surface corresponding to a curvature of said shaft of said outdoor umbrella.

8. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 7, wherein each of said adjustable retainers further comprises an anti-slippery pad provided at said pusher surface thereof for enhancing a frictional engagement between said adjustable retainer and said shaft of said outdoor umbrella so as to securely mount said housing at said shaft of said outdoor umbrella.

9. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said adjustable retainers has an arc shape pivotally coupled at said first housing body at a position that said pusher surfaces of said adjustable retainers are defined at an inner concave surface and are protruded from a circumferential wall of said mounting slot for biasing against said outer surface of said shaft.

10. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 9, wherein each of said adjustable retainers is made of flexible material such that said pusher surface of each of said adjustable retainers is self-adjustably bent to adjust a curvature thereof for biasing against said outer surface of said shaft.

11. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 10, wherein said shaft adjusting arrangement further comprises two resilient elements supported in said first housing body for applying pushing forces against said adjustable retainers respectively, wherein each of said resilient elements has two ends biasing against an inner wall of said first housing body and said respective adjustable retainer at a position offset to a pivot point thereof.

12. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 11, wherein each of said adjustable retainers is a V-shaped flexible member defining said pivot point at a mid-portion of said flexible member.

13. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 12, wherein said first housing body, having a U-shaped structure, has two inner guiding walls defining a guiding channel therebetween, wherein said second housing body, having a corresponding shape, has two outer guiding walls slidably engaging with said inner guiding walls of said first housing body, wherein said guiding channel has a closed end defining said mounting slot thereat, and an opened end is arranged when said second housing body is slidably mounted to said first housing body along said guiding channel through said opened end thereof, said mounting slot is formed at said closed end of said guiding channel.

14. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said terminal connector comprises two electrical terminals movably mounted in said second housing body to partially protrude out of said second housing body, and a resilient member provided in said second housing body for normally applying an outward urging force toward said electrical terminals so as to normally push said electrical terminals protruding out of said second housing body.

15. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 8, wherein said terminal connector comprises two electrical terminals movably mounted in said second housing body to partially protrude out of said second housing body, and a resilient member provided in said second housing body for normally applying an outward urging force toward said electrical terminals so as to normally push said electrical terminals protruding out of said second housing body.

16. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 13, wherein said terminal connector comprises two electrical terminals movably mounted in said second housing body to partially protrude out of said second housing body, and a resilient member provided in said second housing body for normally applying an outward urging force toward said electrical terminals so as to normally push said electrical terminals protruding out of said second housing body.

17. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 15, wherein said battery module further comprises a pair of connecting terminals provided on said first housing body at said two inner guiding walls of said guiding channel to align with said electrical terminals of said terminal connector respectively, wherein said connecting terminals are electrically connected with said control unit in such a manner that when said second housing body is detachably attached onto said first housing body, said battery is arranged to electrically connect with said control unit through said electrical terminals and said connecting terminals.

18. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 16, wherein said battery module further comprises a pair of connecting terminals provided on said first housing body at said two inner guiding walls of said guiding channel to align with said electrical terminals of said terminal connector respectively, wherein said connecting terminals are electrically connected with said control unit in such a manner that when said second housing body is detachably attached onto said first housing body, said battery is arranged to electrically connect with said control unit through said electrical terminals and said connecting terminals.

19. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 17, wherein said battery is a rechargeable battery replaceably received within said second housing.

20. The portable accessory device, as recited in claim 18, wherein said battery is a rechargeable battery replaceably received within said second housing.